Robert died while leading his platoon to capture the bridge over the Merderet River at La Fiere 3.8 km west of Sainte-Mere-Eglise, Bass-Normandie, France. He took over command of 3rd Platoon Company A when his commander 1st Lt Donald G Coxin was hit with a sniper bullet.
Name: Robert E McLaughlin
Inducted From: Montana
Rank: Second Lieutenant
Combat Organization: 505th Parachute Infantry 82nd Airborne
Death Date: 5 Jun 1944
Monument: Normandy, France
Last Known Status: Buried
U.S. Awards: Purple Heart Medal
Silver Star Medal
Additional Army Awards
SOURCE: National Archives and Records Administration. World War II and Korean Conflict Veterans Interred Overseas [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.
"The specific mission of Company A, 505 PIR, was to seize and defend the bridge crossing the Merderet River on the road that ran east to west from Sainte Mere-Eglise, with the purpose of preventing the movement of German troops down to the beachhead." Capt John Nolan in a letter to General Gavin. After a successful combat jump to their drop zone, they reorganized in the dark with 90% of the men accounted for. There is a description of their approach to this bridge. This is where and when 2nd LT Robert E McLaughlin died. Quote and my summary from the book: No Better Place To Die by Robert M. Murphy, The Battle for La Fiere Bridge. pp 50, 51, 148 2nd LT Robert E McLaughlin is mentioned.
Please do a search for the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment. ww2 airborne us units 505 505. One link will give information about the regiment Unit History another link with "trp" will have troop photos.
Please search the American Battle Monuments Commission website for Robert E McLaughlin.
NORMANDY MEMORIAL # 56647607
NOTE: Middle Name: Eddy comes from State of Montana - Certificate of Birth. Eddy was his mother's maiden name.
Name: Robert E McLaughlin
Inducted From: Montana
Rank: Second Lieutenant
Combat Organization: 505th Parachute Infantry 82nd Airborne
Death Date: 5 Jun 1944
Monument: Normandy, France
Last Known Status: Buried
U.S. Awards: Purple Heart Medal
Silver Star Medal
Additional Army Awards
SOURCE: National Archives and Records Administration. World War II and Korean Conflict Veterans Interred Overseas [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.
"The specific mission of Company A, 505 PIR, was to seize and defend the bridge crossing the Merderet River on the road that ran east to west from Sainte Mere-Eglise, with the purpose of preventing the movement of German troops down to the beachhead." Capt John Nolan in a letter to General Gavin. After a successful combat jump to their drop zone, they reorganized in the dark with 90% of the men accounted for. There is a description of their approach to this bridge. This is where and when 2nd LT Robert E McLaughlin died. Quote and my summary from the book: No Better Place To Die by Robert M. Murphy, The Battle for La Fiere Bridge. pp 50, 51, 148 2nd LT Robert E McLaughlin is mentioned.
Please do a search for the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment. ww2 airborne us units 505 505. One link will give information about the regiment Unit History another link with "trp" will have troop photos.
Please search the American Battle Monuments Commission website for Robert E McLaughlin.
NORMANDY MEMORIAL # 56647607
NOTE: Middle Name: Eddy comes from State of Montana - Certificate of Birth. Eddy was his mother's maiden name.
Robert died while leading his platoon to capture the bridge over the Merderet River at La Fiere 3.8 km west of Sainte-Mere-Eglise, Bass-Normandie, France. He took over command of 3rd Platoon Company A when his commander 1st Lt Donald G Coxin was hit with a sniper bullet.
Name: Robert E McLaughlin
Inducted From: Montana
Rank: Second Lieutenant
Combat Organization: 505th Parachute Infantry 82nd Airborne
Death Date: 5 Jun 1944
Monument: Normandy, France
Last Known Status: Buried
U.S. Awards: Purple Heart Medal
Silver Star Medal
Additional Army Awards
SOURCE: National Archives and Records Administration. World War II and Korean Conflict Veterans Interred Overseas [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.
"The specific mission of Company A, 505 PIR, was to seize and defend the bridge crossing the Merderet River on the road that ran east to west from Sainte Mere-Eglise, with the purpose of preventing the movement of German troops down to the beachhead." Capt John Nolan in a letter to General Gavin. After a successful combat jump to their drop zone, they reorganized in the dark with 90% of the men accounted for. There is a description of their approach to this bridge. This is where and when 2nd LT Robert E McLaughlin died. Quote and my summary from the book: No Better Place To Die by Robert M. Murphy, The Battle for La Fiere Bridge. pp 50, 51, 148 2nd LT Robert E McLaughlin is mentioned.
Please do a search for the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment. ww2 airborne us units 505 505. One link will give information about the regiment Unit History another link with "trp" will have troop photos.
Please search the American Battle Monuments Commission website for Robert E McLaughlin.
NORMANDY MEMORIAL # 56647607
NOTE: Middle Name: Eddy comes from State of Montana - Certificate of Birth. Eddy was his mother's maiden name.
Name: Robert E McLaughlin
Inducted From: Montana
Rank: Second Lieutenant
Combat Organization: 505th Parachute Infantry 82nd Airborne
Death Date: 5 Jun 1944
Monument: Normandy, France
Last Known Status: Buried
U.S. Awards: Purple Heart Medal
Silver Star Medal
Additional Army Awards
SOURCE: National Archives and Records Administration. World War II and Korean Conflict Veterans Interred Overseas [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.
"The specific mission of Company A, 505 PIR, was to seize and defend the bridge crossing the Merderet River on the road that ran east to west from Sainte Mere-Eglise, with the purpose of preventing the movement of German troops down to the beachhead." Capt John Nolan in a letter to General Gavin. After a successful combat jump to their drop zone, they reorganized in the dark with 90% of the men accounted for. There is a description of their approach to this bridge. This is where and when 2nd LT Robert E McLaughlin died. Quote and my summary from the book: No Better Place To Die by Robert M. Murphy, The Battle for La Fiere Bridge. pp 50, 51, 148 2nd LT Robert E McLaughlin is mentioned.
Please do a search for the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment. ww2 airborne us units 505 505. One link will give information about the regiment Unit History another link with "trp" will have troop photos.
Please search the American Battle Monuments Commission website for Robert E McLaughlin.
NORMANDY MEMORIAL # 56647607
NOTE: Middle Name: Eddy comes from State of Montana - Certificate of Birth. Eddy was his mother's maiden name.
Inscription
LT. Robert E.
Parachute insignia
